Metal reenforcement for timber poles



Dec. 9, 1930. A. J. WILEY METAL REENFORGEMENT FOR TIMBER POLES Filed Jan. 29, 1930 INVENTOR Jwa Y I T6 ATTORNEY WITNESSES Patented Dec. 9, 1930 PATENT OFFICE ANDREW J. WILEY, 0F BOISE, IDAHO METAL REENFORCEMENT FOR TIMBER POLES Application filed January 29, 1930. Serial No. 424,292.

This invention appertains to improvements in timber pole reenforcenients generally, and has particularly to do with a reenforcement for use in repair and maintenance of timber poles, such as are employed to carry wires or cables for the transmission of electric current for light, telephone and telegraph lines.

These timber poles are customarily firmly set in holes dug in the ground and are subjected to rapid decay at the ground line and for a comparatively short distance above and below that line, While the remainder of the same stays in serviceable and sound condition over a long period of time.

To preventinterruption in service over the conducting lines aforesaid and also to avoid the expense of dismantling and erecting this line on new poles, it has heretofore been customary to reenforce the decayed part of a pole by the use of short poles or stubs erected in a new hole dug alongside the old pole and to wire or bolt the two poles together at a point or points above the zone of decay.

Another method and means for prolong ing the serviceable life of an old pole has been to reenforce the old pole at the point of decay with a collar of reenforced concrete, the same extending to embrace the sound wood above and below the decayed zone. It is also known that at least two types of metal reenforcements have been proposed for similar uses but it is not certain that the same have ever been employed in the practice.

An object of the invention therefore is to provide a metallic reenforcement of the class set forth in substitution of such known devices, particularly for the unsightly timber stubs and concrete types thereof. and to other wise improve the appearance and efficiency of the known metal forms of reenforcement as well as to reduce the cost of manufacture. installation and maintenance.

Another object of the invention is to pro" vide a device as hereinbefore characterized, which will be durable and efficient in construction and design, easy and quick to install and which will not only act to give maximum strength to an old pole but will also tend to protect the same from attack by brush and grass fires or from being injured or destroyed by ants or other insects.

A further object of the invention is to provide a reenforcement of the character mentioned, which is in the nature of a neat appearing metal sleeve or collar of sectional form to span the decayed or weakened zone of a pole and capable of being easily driven into position, from a point above the ground line, without digging about or otherwise disturbing or weakening the pole.

With the foregoing and other equally important objects and advantages in view, the invention resides in the certain new and useful combination, construction and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, set forth in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective View of the base portion of a timber pole,

showing a practical embodiment of the im-- proved reenforcement as it appears when operatively positioned;

Figure 2 is a section through the ground with the embedded timber pole end in side elevation and showing the initial driving position of the metal reenforcement engaged about the pole immediately above the ground line;

Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 2, but showing the metal reenforcement in its operative position about the zone of decay of a pole; and

Figure 4 is a horizontal section through the pole above the upper end of the metal reenforcement.

Referring to the drawing, the embodiment of the invention, as shown therein by way of example only, is comprised in the collar or sleeve made in two or more sections 10 by splitting on a plane or planes passing through its longitudinal axis. The sleeve is preferably made of plain metal rolled or pressed into cylindrical sections, the opposite longitudinal edges of each section being outwardly and backwardly turned at an acute angle to form locking flanges or lugs 11.

These sections 10 are to be secured together by means of channeled locking me ns bers or caps 12 engaged over the flanges or lugs 11 of adjacent edge portions thereof and locked in such engagement by keys l3 forced cndwise through the channel of each of the locking n'ieinbers or caps 12 between the flange portions or lugs 11 which inte lock with the inner sides of the corrwponding acutely angled side walls forming the channel.

These keys 13 are each substantially wedge shaped in cross section so as to have snug fitting en, igenient within the space in each locking member or cap 12, after the latter have been engaged with the flanges or lugs of adjacent body sections 10. The inwardly directed sides of each of the locking keys 13 are provided with oi fset portions 14 which extend lengthwise of the edges thereof to increase the locking effect of the same with the engaged flange portions 11 of the adjacent body sections 10, substantially is shown in Figure 4.

Each of the body or sleeve sections 10 is also formed with one or more outwardly directed ribs 15, which are preferably arranged in symmetrically spaced relation with respect to the flanges or lugs 11 at the opposite edges thereof.

Since the timber poles to be fitted are of varying diameters, the several body or sleeve sections 10 will be made in a number of widths varying by regular but small increments.

In the application of a collar or sleeve to a pole, an assembly of the required number and size of body sections 10 around the pole is made with the bottom edge of the completed collar or sleeve far enough above the ground surface so that the natural swell of the taper off the pole will cause the bottom thereof to tightly hug the pole, particularly when the bottom reaches the position to which the sleeve is finally driven.

With the collar in position of start of drive to final position, each of the body sections 10 will be driven separately, alternately a few inches at a time. As the sleeve is driven downwardly on the tapered pole, it will become tighter until the relatively thin bottom edges of the sections are forced to shear off the excess diameter of the pole. Should it be found to lit too tight or too loose, one of the sections may be removed and replaced with a larger or smaller section, as the case may be, when the driving process will be continued.

After the bottom of the cylinder reaches the decayed part of the pole. there will be no increased difiicnlty in driving the sections until the bottom edges of the same reaches the lower part of the decayed Zone and enters the sound wood of the lower end portion of the pole. The bottom edges ofthe sleeve sections will then shear into'the sound wood, which at this depth will be rather damp and soft, so that the sleeve can be driven until its top reaches its right position or further downward movement of the sleeve is refused.

From the foregoing, it will be noted that the ribs 15, formed in each of the sections it) serve to give greater longitudinal stiffness to the sections and consequently to the cylinder or sleeve in its entirety and that they also give circumferential elasticity to the latter, permitting a continuous firm grip of the sleeve upon the pole in spite of slight changes in diaincte due to shrinkage or swelling of the pole. Also, the continuous tight fitting joint herein provided between adjacent sections acts to resist both tension and compres sion and causes the metal sleeve to act to perform as a rigid cylinder and consequently gives greater resistance to bending than a sleeve in which the joints between the sections are made by bolts or rivets.

\Vithout further description, it is thought that the features and advantages of the lilvention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will of course be un derstood that changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or its scope as claimed.

I claim:

1. In a metal reenforcement for fixing timber poles in the ground, a tubular body formed to provide a plurality of separable sections, securing lugs having the form o acutely angled out-turned flanges forum, along the opposite longitudinal edges of each of the said sections, a channeled member adapted to be interlocked with the lugs at the edges oi adjacent sections to form a completed body, said sections having freedom of motion longitudinally of the body with respect to adjacent sections and elongated. locking elements having substantially the same cross sectional shape of the channel in said member and engageable through the latter to clamp said lugs between the same and the opposite side walls oi": the channel, said body being employed to rceni'orce the strength of a timber pole weakened through decay at the ground line by firmly grasping the sound part of the pole both above and below the zone of decay.

in a metal reenforceinent for lining tinr her poles in the ground, a tubular body formed to provide a plurality of separable sections, securing lugs having th f rm 0 acutely angled out-turned flanges formed along the opposite longitudinal edges oi each of the said sections, a channeled member adapted to be interlocked with the lugs at the edges of adjacent sections to form a COillpleted body, said sections having freedom of motion longitudinally of the body with spect to adjacent sections, and looting elements substantially wedge-shaped in moss ill section engageable through the channel in said member to clamp said lugs between the same and the opposite side Walls of the channel, said body being employed to reenforee the strength of a timber pole weakened through decay at the ground line by firmly grasping the sound part of the pole both above and below the Zone of decay, said locking elements having grooves in the opposite sides of the same adapted to engage over the w connected portions of said flanges.

ANDREW J. WILEY 

